Play Strategy for Scotland: Our Vision - Scottish Government

PLAY STRATEGY 

FOR SCOTLAND: OUR VISION

01 

OUR VISION: 

We want Scotland to be the best place to 

grow up. A nation which values play as a 

life-enhancing daily experience for all our 

children and young people; in their homes, 

nurseries, schools and communities. 

PLAY STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND


03 

CONTENTS 

Ministerial foreword 4 

Strategic context 6 

Section 1: Every child’s right 10 

Section 2: What is play? 13 

Section 3: Why play matters 14 

Section 4: In the home 16 

Section 5: At nursery and school 18 

Section 6: In the community 20 

Section 7: Positive support for play 23 


04 MINISTERIAL FOREWORD 

Aileen Campbell MSP 

Minister for Children and 

Young People 

Play is vital from 

the early stages of 

brain development 

and bonding with 

parents and carers, and 

promotes independence 

and autonomy for 

the teenage years. 


05 

Play is the universal language of childhood, 

it is an activity which exists for its own 

sake but also has a fundamental role. All 

children and young people should have 

the opportunity to play every day and I 

am delighted to present Scotland’s first 

National Play Strategy. 

This Strategy is built on the views of 

children and young people, parents and 

carers, the play sector and others involved 

in their wellbeing. Together with the action 

plan it seeks to improve the play 

experiences of all children and young 

people, including those with disabilities or 

from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

in community settings through the use 

of public spaces and services. Our role 

as parents and carers is to enable and 

facilitate play. As policy makers, planners 

and practitioners it is to ensure play is 

embedded at the heart of decision making 

throughout our society and to provide the 

catalyst for culture change. 

Finally, I would like to congratulate and 

thank all those who have given their time 

and expertise to the development of this 

innovative and collaborative vision, and 

our action plan, which will follow in the 

autumn. 

Play is a fundamental part of childhood, 

taking place within the home from birth, 

through formal and informal learning, and 


06 STRATEGIC CONTEXT 

STRATEGIC CONTEXT 

The Scottish Government’s vision for 

children and young people is clear: 

for Scotland to be the best place 

in the world to grow up. 

Children’s play is crucial to Scotland’s 

wellbeing; socially, economically and 

environmentally. Our people are our greatest 

resource and the early years of life set the 

pattern for children’s future development. 

‘The experiences children have in early 

life – and the environments in which they 

have them – shape their developing brain 

architecture and strongly affect whether they 

grow up to be healthy, productive members 

of society’ (Harvard University, 2007). 

Play is an essential part of a happy, healthy 

childhood and ‘when children play their brains 

do two things: they grow and the become 

organised and usable’ (Hughes, 2013). By 

investing in all our children and young people 

now we can strengthen their ability to 

achieve their full potential. 


07 

Play creates a brain that 

has increased flexibility and 

improved potential for learning 

later in life 

(Lester & Russell, 2008) 


08 STRATEGIC CONTEXT 

Play opens up possibilities in the brain that 

may be picked up later or discarded; the 

important feature is that the potential is 

kept alive, more so than if play never 

occurred in the first place 

(Lester and Russell, 2007) 

Scotland’s first national Play Strategy will 

contribute directly to all of our National 

Outcomes and specifically to ensure our 

children have the best start in life and are 

ready to succeed, and our young people are 

successful learners, confident individuals, 

effective contributors and responsible 

citizens. 

‘Children’s play provides a primary 

behaviour for developing resilience, 

thereby making a significant contribution 

to children’s well-being’ (Lester and 

Russell, 2007) which is a key concept 

in our Getting It Right For Every Child 

approach. This underpins and supports 

all of our policies for children and young 

people. This Strategy will complement 

our proposals in the Children and Young 

People (Scotland) Bill and further supports 

our three main social policy frameworks; 

the Early Years Framework, Equally Well, 

and Achieving our Potential. 

To a child, play is about having fun, but 

to society it is much more. Play is essential 

to healthy development from birth to 

adulthood, contributing to capacity for 

learning, resilience and the development 

of physical, cognitive, social and emotional 

skills. With improved health and educational 

outcomes come clear economic benefits. 

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer is very 

clear about the importance of play, stating 

that investing in children’s play is one of 

the most important things we can do to 

improve children’s health and wellbeing 

in Scotland. Furthermore, the right to play 

is enshrined in the UN Convention on the 

Rights of the Child (UNCRC). All children 

and young people should have play 

experiences as part of their daily lives. 


09 

We all have a role in realising Scotland’s vision for play as individuals, 

parents or carers, members of communities or professionals, by 

ensuring all children and young people can access play opportunities 

in a range of different settings which offer variety, adventure and 

challenge. They must be able to play freely and safely while learning 

to manage risks and make choices about where, how and when they 

play according to their age, ability and preference. 

We have an ambitious vision for play to be fully realised in Scotland, 

and it is one which we can achieve together. Scotland is rich with 

a professional, qualified and well-led play workforce who are 

passionate and driven and have our children’s health and wellbeing 

at the very core of their professional lives. Beyond that, our health 

workers, early learning and childcare staff, teachers, youth workers 

and plethora of out of school care professionals all have a key 

role in delivering the outcomes of this Strategy. We will publish an 

action plan later this year which will set out our collective vision for 

achieving this. 

Play seems to serve important 

social, emotional, and cognitive 

functions 

(Bateson, 2005) 


10 SECTION 1: EVERY CHILD’S RIGHT 

EVERY 

CHILD’S RIGHT 

Play is fundamental to children and 

young people’s quality of life but first 

and foremost it is a child’s right and one 

which the UN Convention on the Rights of 

the Child (UNCRC) is keen to see actively 

applied. The Scottish Government has 

responsibility for implementing the 

UNCRC in Scotland, addressing the 

Committee’s recommendations 

appropriate to local requirements. 

Scotland warmly welcomes the UN General 

Comment on article 31 adopted by the 

Committee in 2013. The General Comment 

provides interpretation of the article in 

detail and aims to raise awareness of its 

importance, promote a richer understanding 

of the content and provide guidance for 

its implementation. It also promotes 

the child’s right to play in the context 

of supporting all children and young 

people’s rights. 

We are confident that, with relevant action to 

ensure article 31 is appropriately implemented 

in homes, nurseries, schools and 

communities including registered childcare 

settings such as out of school care services, 

nurseries and playgroups this will support 

Scotland’s children in their journey 

through childhood and adolescence and 

into adulthood. It will allow our children 

and young people to participate in their 

communities, enhancing their role as part 

of that community and developing their 

resilience, confidence and skills to engage 

as citizens. 


11 

Article 31 of the UN Convention on the 

Rights of the Child states that every 

child has the right to rest and leisure, 

to engage in play and recreational 

activities appropriate to the age of the 

child and to participate freely in cultural 

life and the arts. 


12 SECTION 2: WHAT IS PLAY? 

Play encompasses children’s behaviour which 

is freely chosen, personally directed and 

intrinsically motivated. It is performed for no 

external goal or reward, and is a fundamental 

and integral part of healthy development – not 

only for individual children but also for the 

society in which they live. 


13 

Review of research into children’s 

play considers the element of ‘fun’ 

to be a central defining quality of 

children’s play 

(Meire, 2007) 

WHAT IS PLAY? 

Play comes in many forms. It can be active, passive, solitary, 

independent, assisted, social, exploratory, educational or just 

for fun. Moreover, it can happen indoors or outdoors, it can 

be structured, creative, messy, entirely facilitated by the 

imagination or can involve using the latest gadget. 

What is important is that children and young people have the 

freedom to choose how and when they play. From the earliest 

days and months play helps children learn to move, share, 

negotiate, take on board others’ points of view and cultivate 

many more skills. It remains equally important throughout 

infancy, childhood, the teenage years through adolescence, 

and beyond into adulthood and at all ages, stages and abilities. 

Many people say it’s a child’s ‘job’ to play and the whole of society 

has a role in ensuring we can support children to behave as children, 

minimising the pressure on them to grow up too quickly. We 

consider play as the primary tool for addressing this challenge, 

through allowing children and young people to experience fun, 

joy and laughter in a way that is important to them. 


14 SECTION 3: WHY PLAY MATTERS 

WHY PLAY MATTERS 

To a child play is about having fun. 

To society it’s so much more. Children’s 

play is crucial to Scotland’s wellbeing, 

socially, economically and environmentally. 

The importance of play in children and 

young people’s daily lives and to healthy 

development has become increasingly 

recognised in recent years. A growing body 

of evidence supports the view that playing, 

throughout childhood, is not only an innate 

behaviour but also contributes to quality of 

life, sense of wellbeing and is a key element 

in effective learning, thereby developing 

their physical, cognitive, emotional and 

social skills. ‘The research suggests that, 

from the first stages of growth through 

to adulthood, play has a central role in 

developing strong attachments. Play 

between caregiver and infant helps establish 

the neural pathways for developing wider 

attachments with other children and adults’ 

(Lester and Russell, 2007). 

The type of environment for play is also 

important, having an impact on children 

and young people’s experiences, choices 

and relationships, both with other people 

and with the environment itself. In particular, 

outdoor play especially in natural spaces 

is beneficial and provides experiences 

which cannot be replicated indoors. 

Children and young people need adults 

to encourage and facilitate their play, 

whilst not inhibiting their opportunities 

for freedom and choice. This means that 

everyone involved in planning, designing 

and managing local streets, open spaces 

and parks such as early learning and 

childcare staff, youth workers, teachers 

and play practitioners, parents, carers and 

local residents, particularly those willing 

to offer their services as volunteers, can 

all have a major impact on children and 

young people’s play opportunities. 


15 

There is a body of evidence which 

demonstrates the effectiveness of play in 

promoting problem-solving abilities (Bergen, 2002) 

The Early Years Framework is very clear 

about the importance of positive parenting 

in the early years and our National Parenting 

Strategy clearly emphasises to parents, 

carers and practitioners the benefits 

of play, from stimulating our babies 

from day one, to creating opportunities 

for all children and young people to 

explore, be active and enjoy the learning 

opportunities provided by play throughout 

their lives. 

Seeing the difference play can make 

in a child’s development is delightful 

and benefits the whole family through 

supporting bonding and building 

relationships. Play allows children to 

experience and make sense of their world, 

to challenge themselves, practise skills 

and manage their emotions, interact with 

others or enjoy time alone. Numerous 

studies, including Growing Up In Scotland 

show play to be a crucial factor in a child’s 

educational achievement. The benefits 

from playing and having fun cannot be 

underestimated. 

Creating an environment that provides 

rich play experiences is critical in 

meeting the needs of our children and 

young people. Offering them choices to 

develop the skills of expression, thought, 

curiosity, movement, problem solving and 

achievement provides a sound basis for 

fostering the development of useful skills 

and attributes which will serve them well 

throughout life. As children grow they can 

continue to hone these skills contributing 

to family life and the wider community 

through shared activities and hobbies, 

sport, recreation and leisure activities, 

developing management and leadership 

skills and supporting younger children to 

participate. 


16 SECTION 4: IN THE HOME 

IN THE HOME 

Parents and carers are a child’s first educators and have a crucial role to play 

in encouraging their development. Supporting children to grow up in a rich 

home learning environment, providing secure boundaries and guidance and 

offering emotional stability from the first days of life is fundamental to 

holistic child development. 

The last three decades have seen significant changes in the way we live. 

Increasingly busy lifestyles can often be the reason for a lack of play 

opportunities or uptake. We know that parents and carers feel pressure for 

their children to have the newest toys and the latest games consoles and 

regularly attend structured activities such as dance classes and swimming 

lessons. They often feel they need to be seen to be ‘as good as other parents’ 

and that this is primarily achieved through spending money. 

I’ve learned kids are happy 

playing with almost anything, 

you don’t have to buy 

expensive toys 

(A parent, 2013) 


17 

Free play opportunities provide the biggest 

benefit in a child’s development and we 

should support Scotland’s parents and carers 

to feel positive about providing their children 

with a rich variety of experiences, which 

do not cost a lot of money. It is important 

to remind ourselves our time, guidance and 

support to play is just as important in making 

a difference for children and young people. 

Play changes as children grow up and at the 

pace and stage appropriate to them. Outdoor 

play opportunities are needed at all ages and 

stages as a frequent part of family life. As 

children grow older they need opportunities 

to develop independence through playing 

outdoors, helping to develop and practise 

important life skills within the real world. 

The PlayTalkRead campaign aims to 

encourage parents and carers to engage 

more with their babies and young children 

through day to day experiences supported 

by the availability of online resources and 

within their own communities. Created using 

the play@home principles, it offers practical 

solutions for involving children in daily life. 

These can be used to strengthen bonding 

and communication, improve parenting skills 

and introduce physically and mentally healthy 

attitudes from the first days of life. PlayTalkRead 

also benefits from the Bookbug principles, 

encouraging parents and carers to read 

together with their children from birth using 

the Bookbug packs given to every child in 

Scotland and participating in storytelling and 

Rhymetime sessions. It aims to encourage 

families to make regular use of local facilities 

such as libraries and community centres. 

There is a role for the family, as a loving 

and nurturing unit and as individuals within 

the family, in supporting play in and around 

the home, spending quality time together 

through shared interests and hobbies or 

playing games outside and in. Of course, 

every family is different. Long-term health 

conditions, physical or learning disabilities, 

unemployment and bereavement are only 

some of the issues affecting families across 

Scotland every day. Many more children 

and young people now live in one parent 

families and may require greater support 

from the wider family and community 

in which they live. It is important to 

recognise that play can be used as an 

invaluable and unique therapy, caring for 

children and young people to increase 

their enjoyment, support recovery and aid 

physical and mental wellbeing, within the 

home, the community and in health settings. 

There were lots of 

ideas I can use with 

my son and his blind 

father so he can be 

more involved 

(A mum visiting the PlayTalkRead 

bus in Ayrshire, 2013.) 


18 SECTION 5: AT NURSERY AND SCHOOL 

AT NURSERY 

AND SCHOOL 

All learning environments, including nurseries and schools need “free play”. 

This is commonly defined as “behaviour that is freely chosen, personally directed 

and intrinsically motivated”. This form of play has the potential to contribute 

powerfully and positively to some of the most significant areas of school life, 

from early years to secondary, and mainstream to special schools. 

Play supports the development of social 

skills and collaboration. It stimulates 

physical activity and the development 

of important physical competencies. 

It encourages creativity, imagination 

and problem solving. When children 

have access to natural spaces for play, 

it fosters a sense of close connection 

with and respect for, nature. Staff in early 

years have an important role to play in 

maximising outdoor play experiences for 

children. Many learning establishment 

practitioners recognise the potential of 

the outdoor environment and use it as 

creatively and positively as possible. 

Teachers who have closely observed free 

play in schools have identified a wide range 

of curriculum experiences and outcomes 

that are being delivered without any formal 

input from teachers. Schools that provide 

rich outdoor free play environments report 

happier children, better break-time behaviour 

and children who are better able to concentrate 

in class. These experiences are important 

for all children and young people, including 

those with additional physical, behavioural 

or learning needs. 

Learning through play is widely 

acknowledged as a key component of good 

practice in the early years, both indoors and 

outdoors. In early learning and childcare 

settings, Pre-Birth to Three Positive Outcomes 

for Scotland’s Children and Families promotes 

the importance of planning and supporting 

play. To support play effectively practitioners 

need to be knowledgeable and sensitive 

about the timing and nature of interventions 

or interactions. One of the most important 

aspects of supporting play is ensuring that 

children and young people have the time, 

space and freedom to initiate, plan, lead and 

conclude their own play. When practitioners 

are reflective and intervene appropriately 

they are able to take account of children’s 

interests and prior knowledge and make 

provision for next steps and new experiences. 


19 

From early years and onwards Curriculum 

for Excellence promotes playful learner-led 

approaches in the classroom and outdoors 

in nursery, primary, secondary and special 

schools. However, the greatest potential to 

develop free play in schools is outdoors 

before and after school, during break times 

and, through out of school care. 

Recent years have seen positive developments 

for play opportunities in Scottish schools 

and early years settings. Approaches such 

as nature and forest kindergartens typify how 

free play in nature can be integrated into the 

curriculum on a frequent and regular basis 

throughout the year, in almost all weathers. 

Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor 

Learning encourages the creative use of the 

outdoors as a context for helping children 

and young people to develop their skills 

for learning, working and living in a complex 

and changing world. Outdoor free-play offers 

a powerful way of providing some of these 

enriching outdoor experiences on a daily basis. 

Some schools through the Rights Respecting 

Schools award recognise and value children’s 

right to play as part of their ethos. Innovative 

playful approaches have become more 

widespread within the curriculum such as digital 

games-based learning which motivate 

and engage many children, helping them 

to understand key concepts in many 

subject areas. 

Most children and young people have access 

to a safe outdoor play space at school. This 

is important for all children and young 

people but particularly for those who don’t 

have access to a private garden, nearby park 

or a safe street to play in. Nursery gardens 

and school playgrounds are accessed by 

children on a daily basis: during, before 

and after nursery and school. 

Most children and young people will spend 

around 1500 hours of their life in their 

school playgrounds; for many this will be 

more than in any other outdoor play setting. 

School grounds are also places where children 

and young people can take an active role 

in developing and looking after their play 

spaces, building a sense of ownership 

and active participation. In some areas 

school playgrounds are accessible out of 

school hours to the wider community, 

providing thousands of extra hours of play 

opportunities for children and young people. 

There is a need to build on these successes 

so that regular free play becomes a reality 

for all children and young people in every 

nursery and school, particularly outdoors, 

embracing play in all weathers and ensuring 

ongoing maintenance and stewardship of 

outdoor play spaces. 

Greater recognition and understanding 

of the concept and value of free play 

and playtimes is needed, particularly in 

primary, secondary and special schools. 

The importance of outdoor play times 

for disabled children and young people 

with complex healthcare needs specific 

proactive attention. 


20 SECTION 6: IN THE COMMUNITY 

IN THE 

COMMUNITY 

As a society we need to encourage children 

and young people to spend time outside 

and to start exploring the fantastic and 

often wild and open space which Scotland 

has in abundance, be it in the local town, 

city or countryside. Children playing outdoors 

is something we want to see happening 

much more in all outdoor places including 

green space, parks and streets that are 

valued by the community. 

We know that a variety of different 

community settings are also important 

for many children and young people, 

such as nurseries, out of school services, 

playgroups and playschemes after school 

and in the holidays; and in youth clubs 

and community centres across the country. 

Outdoor play doesn’t necessarily mean 

visiting the local play park, sometimes 

it means playing kerby on the street or 

investigating local wildlife. The beauty 

of outdoor play is more than appreciating 

your natural surroundings and breathing 

in fresh air, it’s on your doorstep, it’s free 

and all children and young people can get 

involved – regardless of their background, 

gender, age, stage or ability, together with 

the whole family. 

We know that open space allows children 

and young people to be physically 

active and challenge themselves so they 

sleep and eat well and form healthy 

habits that will stay with them for life. 

In particular, daily contact with nature 

and playing in natural spaces has additional 

benefits and promotes greater use of 

these community green spaces as adults. 

The type of environments available for play 

have a major impact on the nature of that 

play so careful consideration should be 

given to the planning and design of public 

spaces and particularly for communities 

within the built environment. Children 

and young people should have access to 

play spaces, whether they are park areas 

or informal spaces where they choose 

to play. Scottish Planning Policy sets out 

that planning authorities should protect 

valued open space, and seek to address 

needs identified in open space strategies. 

There should be clean, safe and welcoming 

spaces for children and young people 

to play and gather where they are not 

considered a nuisance by others in their 

communities, as set out in Designing Places 

and Designing Streets. Stimulating 

environments reduce the incidence of 

aggressive and destructive behaviour. 

The importance of interesting outdoor 

spaces designed in partnership with 

children and young people cannot be 

overstated. 


21 

Most children and young people want to be 

able to play outside in the local neighbourhood 

where they live. They enjoy spaces that 

offer them the opportunity to experiment, 

to challenge themselves physically, to feel 

free and to socialise. Green Infrastructure: 

Design and Placemaking encourages architects, 

planners and developers to take account 

of the landscape and notes that green 

infrastructure can create pleasant, stimulating 

places for fun, play and relaxation. 

Older children and young people can choose 

to participate in youth services which provide 

somewhere safe to be with their friends, hang 

out and have fun. 

Exposure to challenges, with support from 

parents and carers, play workers and youth 

workers, balancing their understanding of 

keeping children safe from harm while 

allowing them to learn and develop through 

sometimes risky activities will help build 

resilience into adult life. That is why we 

want to see parents, carers, professionals 

and volunteers adopt a risk-benefit approach 

to play. We value the long-term benefits 

of play and exposure to risk – both in 

terms of physical health and in developing 

resilience and mental wellbeing and aim to 

support parents and carers, communities 

and professionals in recognising the benefits 

of this approach. The changing nature of 

the outdoors makes it a more interesting, 

stimulating place to play, and allows children 

the sense of fun and freedom they crave 

whilst promoting their physical, emotional 

and psychological health. 

In addition, children and young people 

who play outdoors more often have better 

social networks, are more confident and are 

more involved in their local communities 

than those who are outside less often. 

Opportunities for, and experience of outdoor 

play vary widely, but there are some distinct 

differences in the experiences of girls and 

boys, those who are disabled, those from 

different social backgrounds and those 

from varied types of housing environment. 

Religious and cultural beliefs may also 

influence play opportunities and experiences. 

If local spaces are to offer children the range 

of experiences they need and thrive on, they 

must be well designed and maintained to 

ensure children have regular access to new 

and interesting experiences that stretch and 

absorb them, whatever their age, interests 

and ability. This includes attending to issues 

with regards to the whole play landscape 

and environment such as measures to curb 

or calm traffic, provision of well-lit footpaths 

and walk ways, shelter and gathering spaces, 

litter bins and appropriate equipment for 

older children and young people. 

Habits of healthy outdoor exercise 

as adults are linked to patterns of 

use established in childhood 

(Thompson and others, 2008) 


22 SECTION 6: IN THE COMMUNITY 

The social and cultural space for play can be 

as important as the physical environment and 

schemes which encourage communities to work 

together to support both intergenerational 

and age and stage related play serve an 

important purpose in establishing child and 

play friendly neighbourhoods. The existence 

of good spaces and opportunities for play 

allows children and young people from 

different social groups to mix, can reduce 

socially unacceptable behaviour and vandalism 

and provides children and young people with 

places where they can feel both safe and 

independent. 

Avoiding the outdoors because of fear of 

traffic, concerns of personal safety or even 

the weather can impact on opportunities 

to play. Fears for children’s safety have at 

times resulted in restricted access to outdoor 

play. While the risks are real, the perception 

of them is often higher than the reality and 

should be balanced against the benefits of 

outdoor play. We know that learning to deal 

with challenges will help build children’s 

resilience into adult life. Learning to enjoy 

the outdoors in our climate and manage 

risks and challenges will help children and 

young people grow and develop into healthy 

confident adults. 

To place oneself at risk does not only 

mean that one places oneself in jeopardy, 

but also that one is situated in a zone of 

potential and development 

(Lindqvist and Nordanger, 2007) 


SECTION 7: POSITIVE SUPPORT FOR PLAY 

23 

POSITIVE 

SUPPORT FOR PLAY 

We need to foster a positive and supportive environment in order to enable quality play 

opportunities for all children in Scotland. This includes valuing children and young people 

and the importance of play. 

Essential to achieving this is a professional, 

qualified, well led workforce with the 

skills and confidence to provide support 

and advice to parents and carers about 

play so that they in turn provide more 

play opportunities for children and young 

people outwith established settings. 

Leaders and practitioners together, across 

the public, private and voluntary sectors, 

can shape the culture and practice of play 

in Scotland as it moves forward and we 

will enable that through cross sector and 

sector specific CPD. The infrastructure 

will be supported to have an active and 

sustainable role in delivering this Strategy, 

including the contribution of play 

organisations. 

The workforce should universally emphasise 

the value of risk through play. Practitioners 

should be bold in providing challenging 

play opportunities, managed through riskbenefit 

assessment. Taking a controlled 

risk and seeing it payoff is essential to 

becoming a confident individual. The media 

also has a key role to play in promoting and 

fostering positive attitudes towards play 

in society. 

This sets out our vision for the future of play in Scotland. Our action plan 

will follow this autumn which will set out how we aim to achieve this. 


24 WITH THANKS TO 

WITH THANKS TO: 

THE WORKING GROUP 

Julia Abel, Inspiring Scotland 

Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People 

Kathie Cameron, CoSLA 

Lesley Fox, Smart Play Network 

Marguerite Hunter Blair, Play Scotland 

Ian McLaughlan, Scottish Pre-School Play Association 

Irene Miller, NHS Health Scotland 

Eric Mitchell, Capability Scotland 

Siân Neil, Education Scotland 

Juliet Robertson, Creative Star Learning 

Alastair Seaman, Grounds for Learning 

Margaret Westwood, International Play Association Scotland 

The children and young people whose views have 

shaped this Strategy. 

The many other contributors from across the play 

sector and beyond who offered their views in the 

development of this Strategy. 


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Published by the Scottish Government, June 2013 

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Play Strategy for Scotland: Our Vision - Scottish Government

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